CRYSTAL DRAGONS
by OokamiLover19
Summary: Minato has a fifth member on his team a single child survives the destruction of her village in the Water Nation. Sarutobi take her in as she grows up and becomes a Shinobi. After the Chunin exams, how will Ryuu react with her father figure is killed by Orochimaru? What will she do when she is sent to Amegakure on a mission and runs into the Akatsuki?
1. Chapter 1

hEY rEADERS! i AM BACK WITH ANOTHER STORY! sORRY i KEEP CREATING MORE STORIES AND NEVER FINISHING OLD ONES. tHEY WILL GET FINISHED AT SOME POINT, i AM SLOWLY WORKING ON THEM. pLEASE ENJOY THE NEW STORY. iNSPIRATION CAME FROM READING STORIES THAT WERE NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE MAIN TEAMS LIKE THE LEAF TEAMS AND SAND, BUT FOCUS MORE ON THE OUTER RINGS OF THE nARUTOVERSE.

pLEASE rEAD AND rEVIEW!

_**Thoughts**_

_Memories_

**pREFACE**:

"Oh my gawd, he's so cute!" Eleven year old Anko squealed as she sat next to Kurenai and Asuma in the academy. "Why does he have to be so mysterious with that mask? What does he have to hide?"

"Leave him alone Anko, he just lost his father. He doesn't have anyone left," Kurenai whispered as the young silver haired Kakashi Hatake walked past them to the back of the room.

"He must be so alone now, but I could fix that..."

"Give it up Anko, he'll just turn you down again," Shikaku Nara yawned as he propped his feet on the desk as eye sat next to Choza Akimiki and Inoichi Yamanaka. "Let him be."

"You're so mean Nara!" Anko huffed, her face turning red.

"No, just honest," he smirked.

"Why you...?!"

"Settle down everyone," their teacher, Riku entered the room with her arm around an unfamiliar girl that had crimson hair darker than blood and her left arm in a sling and tied to her chest as if broken. "Anko, you okay? You look like you have a fever?"

"I'm fine Riku sensei," Anko mumbled getting a couple snickers from her classmates.

"Sensei, who is that with you?" Choza asked.

"This is Ryuu. She was from the water country. She was brought here since she has no one left to care for her," the older woman smiled, light brown hair pulled back into a single ponytail. "She is our newest student at the academy."

"Ryo as in money?" Asuma asked and Choza giggled quietly as he munched on some chips.

"Ryuu as in dragon," the girl replied and it became silent. She lifted her head, revealing eyes the color amethyst gems would envy. The purple was deep and hypnotic.

"Ryuu, why don't you go sit next to Kakashi in the back corner there?" She smiled as she pushed the young girl towards the aisle.

"Okay," she shrugged and walked down the aisle. Anko glared at her and as her amethyst eyes glanced at her she just stared blankly back before finally getting to the back and sat down in a single fluid motion smoother than a feline's in the seat besides the masked boy.

"Such swift grace," Rin whispered awed as she sat next a sleeping Obito Uchiha.

"Rin please wake up your classmate so we can begin class," Riku smiled as she walked to the center of the room.

"Yes Sensei," Rin smiled back before poking Obito's cheek and he almost jumped out of his seat. "Time for class Obito."

"Sorry Sensei," the Uchiha blushed as he adjusted the goggles on his head.

The brown haired woman just shook his her head with a laugh before clearing her throat. "Alright, so who has perfected their clone Justus yet?"

"You barely taught us last week!" Anko growled. "How are we supposed to learn that fast?"

"Well Anko, if you spent less time focused on boys and more on your training, you could easily have mastered it by now," Asuma laughed.

"Wait, does the new girl even know ninjutsu?" Inoichi frowned.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?"

The class turned to look at the crimson haired girl and she smirked as she put a single finger on her lips as if telling everyone to be quiet and there was a poof as she grinned and several clones of her were around the room and she sat there as if it was nothing.

"Whoa! Single hand combination?!" Obito gasped. "Isn't that like Jounin level?"

"I can't exactly use my left arm right now," Ryuu spoke before there was a shatter of glass and all her clones exploded into crystal before disappearing and the crystal shards disappeared as well in a poof of smoke.

"What happened?" Kurenai asked.

"That's really none of your concern, is it?" She whispered coldly, narrowing her amethyst eyes as their teacher cleared her throat.

"Good job Ryuu. Alright who else thinks they have perfected their jutsu?"

* * *

Sarutobi stood in the hallway outside the teacher's lounge with the two Leaf councilors, Riku and Minato. It was the end of the day and most of the students had left already except one. Ryuu was still sitting in the classroom waiting to be told what to do and where she was going to stay.

"They shattered into crystal? Are you positive?" Sarutobi asked

"Yes, the clones shattered into crystal before disappearing themselves," Riku spoke quietly.

"Besides that fact, the fact that she didn't do any jutsu signs to summon them is astounding," Minato commented, running a hand through his spikes blond hair.

"Is the child a threat?" The councilor woman asked, eyes narrowed.

"I don't think so, she seemed to want to stay and she did everything she was told to do," Riku smiled. "She just seems a little scared after seeing her village get destroyed like those by rogue Nin."

"Where is she going to stay?" Minato asked. "My wife, Kushina and I would take her in..."

"She'll stay with me," Sarutobi smiled. "Besides, you already have your hands full with Kushina being pregnant."

"She's only a couple months in," Minato smiled.

"That may be but she is already a hellion being an Uzamaki and in the early stages of her pregnancy. She may scare her off," Sarutobi laughed and Minato chuckled in agreement. "Besides, if she starts to trusts me, then we'll gain more information about who she is."

"Where is the child?" The councilor man asked coolly.

"She's still in the class room," Riku replied. "She saw you come in and knew it would be better to wait than to try finding her way to the tower."

"Good."

"Goodnight lord Hokage, Riku, and Minato. We take our leave." The two councilors left the building as the three remaining walked to the classroom and Riku opened the door.

"Ryuu, it's time to go," she spoke calmly with a smile.

"Yes ma'am." She got up quietly and came out of the room and looked at her superiors. "Hello."

"Ryuu, you're going to be staying with the Hokage," Riku smiled as she put an arm around the young girl gently.

"Okay," she spoke as she pulled her teacher's arm away from her shoulder. "It still hurts."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Riku gasped and pulled her arm away.

"It's okay."

"Are you hungry young Ryuu?" Sarutobi smiled as the four of them walked out of the academy and down the road.

"A little but I'm supposed to go over to the hospital to get my arm checked. Doctor Yuza wanted me to come in right after school got out but I had to wait for you."

"We can have her come to my home. Hospitals are such dreary places."

"Okay."

"Dinner should be ready by the time we get home. See you two later."

"Have a good night Lord Hokage," Minato and Riku smiled before going their separate ways.

Sarutobi watched the girl as she looked around the village as they walked down the main road. She looked amazed at the size and the different culture than what she had in her former village. It really had been a bad night in the Water nation when that village had been destroyed and Leaf Nin had been close enough to feel the heat of the fires that rogue Nin started to burn the village down, killing everyone but she survived.

At the Hokage residence, Sarutobi sent one of his servants to bring Ryuu's doctor to the house as they went in and got ready for dinner. The servants had made chicken and dumpling soup which Ryuu devoured as soon as she was sitting at the table and wanted more, making Sarutobi laugh. Dinner was enjoyable, Ryuu talked about different events that were always held throughout the year and delicacies from her village. Soon Ryuu's doctor arrived and they went into the living room while the servants cleaned up dinner.

"Any pain while at the academy?" Dr. Yuza asked as she undid the sling and pulled the bandages off carefully, blood spotting in many places on her upper arm.

"Only some mild discomfort," Ryuu replied as she sat stiffly.

As the last of the bandages came off, Sarutobi had to grimace. Her upper arm was burned badly with a cut running through the middle of it and her forearm was a discolored purple and blue. Dr. Yuza ran her chakra along her whole arm and smiled.

"Good news is the broken bones didn't shift back out. The bad news is that stab wound is not looking any better than it did the other day. Are you sure you don't want me to heal it immediately? You know I can do it Ryuu..."

"Just because we have the ability to rush things because of chakra doesn't mean we always have to use it," Ryuu smiled. "Yes it will take time, probably a couple weeks, but that's okay."

"You're wise for being so young," Sarutobi commented from his seat across from her and Yuza.

"That was one thing they focused on for my village. Don't rush everything otherwise you'll miss things or it will kill you. Too many shinobi do just the opposite."

"Can I at least heal you enough that your bones won't shift back out if place?"

"That's fine."

"How old are you Ryuu?" Sarutobi asked as he watched her.

"I'll be nine this winter," she replied, not a hint of emotion on her face.

"So mature for being so young..."

"I started ninja training as soon as I could walk," the child shrugged as Yuza rewrapped her arm and put it back in the sling. "Thank you Dr. Yuza."

"If you start feeling more pain, notify me immediately and I'll get you a stronger dose of pain killers."

"I will."

"I'll see you later then. Have a good night, you too Lord Hokage," Yuza smiled before leaving.

"What room will I be staying in?" Ryuu asked as she got to her feet and stretched her unbound arm above her head.

"This way." Sarutobi got to his feet and led the way down the hall but frowned in thought.**_ 'How did she manage to survive with only her arm injured? According to ANBU, the rogue Nin were slaughtering everybody as if looking for something... Or someone... Is she what they were after? Why is she important to them?'_ **They went up the stairs and he opened the door to a spare room that was down the hall from his. "This will be your room Ryuu. If you need anything, I'm just down the hall."

"Thank you Lord Hokage," she smiled a little before walking into the room and looked around.

"Goodnight young Ryuu."

"Night sir."

Sarutobi smiled as he closed her door and headed down the hall. _**'I hope no danger falls on her if she is special. This crystal ability with her clones... Only a few from the Water Nation could do it... I hate being old, I cannot remember the clan for the life of me...'**_ He entered his room and sat down at his desk and opened the book he read every night, history of the five nations.

* * *

Ryuu pulled off her shoes and laid down on the giant bed, carefully propping her injured arm up on some pillows and stared at the ceiling. It had been a couple days for her. Three days ago she had woken up in the Konohagakure hospital to people tending to her. Then this morning she had gotten released, only to be enrolled in the local school immediately once they realized she was of the same skill level as the soon-to-be genin she was in class with.

As she closed her eyes, sleep claimed her and took her to her last memories before she found herself in the hospital:

_"Momma why is the village turning red?" Ryuu asked as she looked out her bedroom window. "Looks like fire..."_

_"Tati, they're here!" Her papa came in, covered in sweat as if he had been running. "They're killing everyone looking for her."_

_"What are we going to do?" Her mother gasped holding Ryuu a little too tightly._

_"She has to hide..."_

_"What's going on?" Ryuu frowned struggling out of her mother's suffocating grip._

_"Ryuu, remember when you were younger and bad guys came after you because of your ability and took you away? More have come after you. You must run and hide in the woods. Do not hesitate to hurt anyone trying to take you away," her father spoke as he pulled her and Tati to their feet._

_"But what about you?" Ryuu shook with fear as she wrapped her arms around herself._

_"We are going to make sure that they don't get you," her momma smiled. "Then we'll come for you."_

_"They'll kill you! Just like they are doing to everyone else! Why is it me that they are after?! Why am I so goddamn important?!" Her parents looked at Ryuu appalled at her language as she fell to her knees and cried. "You two are important to me, please don't leave me alone."_

_"Ryuu..."_

_"A momma and a papa are not supposed to leave their child! That's why you're parents not some childless family...!"_

_"Silence!" Ryuu flinched and looked up at her papa in shock. He had never yelled at her. "Keeping you safe is our highest priority as your parents. You know that as soon as your ability revealed itself, people would be after you, to use you and turn you into a weapon."_

_"If I'm fought over so goddamn much, then just kill me! I'm tired of always having to hide because of this fucking ability that I was born with! Or let me harness the full power of it so I can protect those I love!"_

_"It is too dangerous right now, your body would not last under the strain. We'll leave a clone with you so you're not alone but we must protect you from being captured."_

_Ryuu huffed, knowing that she would not win this argument and grabbed her coat and pulled it on. Both her parents summoned a clone and the three of them ran out the back door and into the forest. Screams of villages echoed around Ryuu and she tried to not look back, knowing that all her friends and their families would not make it. The clones of her parents made small talk but she ignored half of it until after ten minutes of running, the clones disappeared with now warning._

_Ryuu skidded to a stop in the tree she was in and looked back at the burning village. Heat boiled in her blood and she growled as she dashed back to the village. The clones had disappeared way too soon for her parents to have made it out. She jumped over burning rooftops towards the most commotion was and froze, seeing both her parents against the water fountain, bleeding into the once pure water. She jumped down in front of her parents as let out a heart-retching scream before looking around, anger fueling her every move._

_"You bastards!" She screamed, as she looked around and waited for them to come back. "I'm the one you want!"_

_"So it is," A voice behind her laughed before she felt a foot in her back and she was thrown to the ground and a blade was shoved into her upper arm. "Not so tough now, are you kid?"_

_"You killed them...!" She snapped._

_"Look guys we got ourselves a rabid dog," the man laughed as several more appeared. "We have killed everyone one here. You're the last one and turned out to be the weapon we came for."_

_"I am a weapon for no one! No one uses me ever!"_

_"Silence you brat!" A larger man snapped and slammed his foot down on her forearm. She cried out as she felt her bones give out with a sickly crunch. "That's better."_

_"Don't kill her, you idiot! Boss wanted her still in full working condition!"_

_"You're the one who shoved a sword in her arm," he shrugged._

_"You broke her fucking arm! She can't use that hand now for her jutsu boss wants!"_

_"She'll heal."_

_"I'm going to kill you," Ryuu muttered feeling her anger overflow past her pain._

_"What was that?" The first man growled kicking her back._

_"You are all going to fucking die!" She screamed as amethyst crystal surrounded the ground around her and the sword in her arm turned to crystal before shattering and she got to her feet painfully._

_"You little Runt, that was my best sword!"_

_"Die!" She screamed as the crystal on the ground expanded before spikes shot up under each man, insta-killing them except the first guy who seemed to be in charge. Two large spikes went through his arms and lifted him off the ground. "You all are stupid to think I need my hands for anything. Now you will die, just like them!"_

_She summoned a spike and shoved it into his chest as darkness blinked before her and she fell to the ground, her injured arm landing in a fire as she passed out._

"Ahhhh!" Ryuu bolted into a sitting position breathing hard and looked around panicked.

"Ryuu, what's wrong?" The old man Hokage ran into the room and looked around worried. "What happened?"

"B-bad memory," she sagged against the pillows and tried to calm her breathing.

"Want to talk about it? I already know about your crystal abilities, young one, you do not need to be afraid here. No one will harm you here."

"Why do people want people like me with abilities that are different?"

"They are greedy people who crave power, even if it is not their own and will go to no end to try and obtain that power. Same reason why the Jinchuuriki are being hunted down," Sarutobi replied as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Why do you not crave my power? I don't even know the full amount of it..."

"I do not want power, I want to protect people, that's why I became a Hokage. We have a Jinchuuriki in the village, you met her husband Minato. Yes she has the power to destroy a village in one hit and you may too, but you do not wish to destroy. You want to protect others from being hurt. To protect those who try to protect you from the bad people out there and cannot succeed. That is where the strength of power matters, not to harm, but to save."

"I guess," Ryuu frowned as she looked at her hands.

"Your parents would have been proud of you, young one. They tried to protect you during that attack on your village, didn't they?"

"Yeah, but they didn't last long. I had been running away with one of their clones but when those disappeared I went back and lost control after they broke my arm and stabbed a blade through my upper arm. I don't know what happened, I panicked... I don't want to be a prisoner again..." She sobbed.

"You're safe here," Sarutobi whispered as he pulled her into his lap and held her close. "You have me and those I command to keep you safe. When you are put on a team at the academy, they will protect you as well. No one will hurt you ever again."

"Thank... you..." She yawned as she started to fall asleep again. "Thank you papa..."

Sarutobi blinked in surprise and looked down at her as she slept in his arms with drying tears glistening on her cheeks_**. 'She had already been a prisoner once as a child? She definitely has had a hard life. What clan is this child from?'**_


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing from Naruto.

Please read and review

...

...

...

**_Thoughts_**

_Memories_

cHAPTER oNE:

"God, I hate her," Anko grumbled as she walked into the class room with Kurenai and Asuma. "Why does she get to sit by him and no one else does?"

Ryuu was already in the back of the class room, with her feet propped up on the table and a book in her lap. Her long red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and her bangs hid her amethyst eyes. She wore simple black leggings tucked into over the knee boots while she wore a white fishnet shirt under a purple tank top. On the back of her chair was a simple white jacket with the Leaf Symbol on the back.

"Who in the world bought her those clothes…?"

"She lives with the Hokage," Rin replied as she sat behind Anko.

"Apparently, she is someone of great importance, but no one will say anything else," Obito muttered. "It's like no one knows who she really is…"

"I can hear you," a small voice reached them and the five of them turned around and saw amethyst eyes staring at them from above her books. "I am no one of importance, just a survivor."

"Why don't you go home?"

"My home was burned to the ground and my whole village murdered, there is nothing for me to back to," she spoke, her face not showing any emotion. The students who heard her became quiet and stopped their gossiping, apart from Anko.

"I still don't see why she gets to sit back there by him…"

"Maybe it's because Riku sensei knows I will be the only one who does not attack the kid like some love sick stalker. Besides, he isn't even that cute," she shrugged as she went back to her book.

"Why you…!"

"My bad, you're not a love-sick stalker, you're just a psychotic little…"

"We all know what she is, no need to say mean things," Choza yawned as he entered the room. "Hey Ryuu, do you like chips?"

"I'm alright, Lord Hokage refused to let me out of the house until I ate the large breakfast his servants made," Ryuu smiled. "What's your name?"

"I'm Choza Akimiki, lazy here is Shikaku Nara, and blonde is Inoichi Yamanaka," he smiled as the three of them sat at the table right in front of her.

"Ryuu Kurisutaru, nice to meet people who don't gossip like love-struck idiots," she smiled as she shifted in her seat, keeping her feet on the table.

"You'll get in trouble for that," the dark haired love-struck girl muttered as she sat in her seat.

"What's your point? Shall I find your object of fascination and tell him things you say about him when he's not in hearing range?"

"Kakashi is not an object of fascination!" the brown haired girl with two purple rectangles on her cheeks hissed.

"Oh? You sure treat the poor kid like one. Like he's on a golden patter just for you to look at and stalk," Ryuu frowned, just as the silver-haired boy entered the room. "Speak of the devil…"

"Don't…!" Both girls begged and Ryuu started laughing.

"You're not my mother, so do not boss me around or I'll turn it back on you," Ryuu smirked as Kakashi sat next to her. "Hi comrade, how are you this morning?"

"What?" the boy turned to look at her and she could see the frown on his face.

"How are you?"

"Fine," he muttered before pulling out a book of his own.

"It's the lazy corner," Choza chuckled as Shikaku propped his feet on his desk and closed his eyes.

"You'll definitely fit in with Choza and Shikaku," Inoichi smirked.

"At least I'll fit in somewhere," Ryuu mumbled quietly to herself as she went back to her book, not seeing the confused glance from the boy next to her.

"Good morning class, how is everyone today?" Riku came in and Ryuu pulled her feet off the table but didn't move from her book as she gingerly shifted her bound arm. Choruses of 'okay' and 'good' echoed around the room followed by the snore of the goggle headed kid as he had his face flat on the table. "Not again..."

"I got it," Rin replied with a sigh as she shook him awake. "Should put him in the lazy corner..."

"But then half the room would be sleeping," Choza laughed. "Riku-sensei wouldn't like that."

"Everyone is seated where it is most convenient to make sure everyone listens. Now today's lesson..."

The day went by fast and Ryuu was the first one to disappear from the academy as the bell rung. Sarutobi said that an ANBU would be nearby at all times incase she was lost or in danger, but always out of sight. She had free reign of wandering the village as long as she came back to the manor by dinner time so that gave her three hours after school to do nothing. Finally, she found herself at a small bridge over a river.

"Your a weird one," someone mumbled and she turned around and saw her classmate Kakashi walk onto the bridge, hands in his pockets.

"I don't understand," she frowned as she leaned against the railing.

"Saying you'll finally fit in somewhere. Didn't you fit in at home?"

"I was just too different," she shrugged as she turned around and looked at the river.

"What element base do you have?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a lightning user, sleeper in class is a fire user. What are you?"

"I don't have one," she spoke darkly. A kid like him didn't need to know her abilities. It got people in trouble, got them hurt. "I know basic jutsus and focus more on taijutau."

"Fight me." His eyes narrowed.

"No, leave me alone," Ryuu muttered, walking past the boy.

"You scared?" He growled back.

"No..."

"Then don't run away..." He grabbed her arm but she suddenly disappeared in a shatter of crystal. "You're a coward!"

Suddenly he felt something on his ankle and looked down and saw her head in the ground. She pulled and he was suddenly trapped in the ground up to his neck. "Nobody calls me a coward."

He watched as she walked away and tried to move but didn't even get an inch. "Damn it..."

"Looks like you're in a bind." He looked up and saw a boy from his class that he couldn't remember his name. "I'm Iruka."

"Get me out of here!" Kakashi growled.

"Only if you stop being mean to me and come have dinner with my family tonight," he grinned.

"Fine," Kakashi sighed and Iruka broke the dirt and helped pull him out.

"Who trapped you there anyway?"

"The new girl. I accused her of being coward because she refused to fight me," Kakashi sighed as he brushed off all the dirt and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Wow," Iruka coughed, hiding his laugh poorly.

"I'll get her back."

"You sure you should provoke her, especially when she lives with the Hokage?"

"She humiliated me..."

"Maybe she couldn't fight, she still has that injured arm and the Hokage has ANBU following her. If she started a fight, they would probably intervene," Iruka shrugged as they walked down the street.

"Whatever."

"Where are you going? The deal was to have dinner with my family since I helped you out," Iruka called when he started to walk away. Kakashi sighed but turned and followed him.

Ryuu watched the two boys walk away and laughed quietly as she stood on the roof. The dark haired boy, Iruka, had a point. Even if she could fight, which she couldn't because her arm, the masked man watching from a distance would have intervened. She was still new to the village. No one knew if they could trust her enough yet, and she didn't know if she should be trusted. She didn't know the extent of her abilities and somebody was always coming after her.

* * *

"You want me to do what?" Ryuu gasped in horror. It had been several weeks since she had started at the academy and Lord Hokage had her start training with Minato Namikaze and seeing her current skill level from what she learned in the Water Nation.

"Hit me with your strongest Kekkei Genkai abilities."

"No, no way in hell," she growled as she rubbed her recently healed arm. She had finally gave in to having Dr. Yuza heal the last of her injuries because she had been starting to get restless and wanted to be able to start training again.

"If you fear your crystal abilities then they will control you. We are trying to help you but in order to do so, we must know the extent to your abilities," Minato responded calmly. They were in a private dojo within the ANBU headquarters. "If you want to be able to protect yourself from enemies, you must train yourself."

"I don't know my limits. I've never used it willingly, I could hurt you," she whispered, wringing her hands. "The only times I used it was when I was in danger and enemies were trying to get to me.

"I'll stop you before you do something like that," Minato smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Now, do not hold back. Use what feels natural to you. The ANBU around the room will be targeting different aspects, like movement and chakra, in case you do a move you are not aware of and know how to control it when you start training more with it. Every one here are trying to help you."

"Fine," Ryuu frowned as she let go of her hands and took a deep breath as she looked around the room and counted the dozen of ANBU and Hokage looking through a window with his councilors.

Minato took several steps back as he felt an aura mix with anger and fear appear around her. Her stance was slouched, shoulders hunched slightly and head bowed; her hands though were slightly away from her body and fingers spread apart.

"Remember, do not let it control you. Overcome your fear," Minato reminded her as he felt fear spike in the aura around her.

"Okay," she whispered. "I'm ready."

She lifted her head and her eyes seemed to be glowing slightly as a dragon mark appeared on her face. The wings spread across her brow down the sides of her face to her cheeks, while its head was centered on her brow as the tail swirled down her nose.

She lunged at him suddenly and he could barely block her attack and staggered back from the force. He threw a punch at her and she jumped back then did a single hand sign before she tossed a crystal orb towards him. He jumped to the side to dodge it and it hit the wall. He glanced at it and frowned, seeing it start to spread and the two ANBU near it stepped away but it seemed to react and lunged at them and encased them both in crystal.

"What the...?" one of the ANBU appeared next to the two encased ANBU and touched the crystal and it spread across his hand.

"Don't move," another ANBU called. "There is chakra in it and it reacts to the movement."

"What about Tiger and Raven?" the ANBU that had his hand trapped asked, stopping his struggles.

"Their vitals are normal. Focus on the child, her chakra is strong."

Minato dodged several more crystal orbs that she tossed and when it hit the wall, it spread across the wall, but didn't jump to the shinobi as they remained still. She stopped throwing orbs and did a couple more signs before putting both hands flat on the ground, a summoning circle appearing around her before spikes appeared all around the room and she disappeared behind one of them.

"Where is she?" Bird called.

"Behind you Minato!"

He spun around and saw her as she dashed around the spikes with a foreign weapon in her hands. From what he could see, it was two weapons and a chain, but then she disappeared before he could get more detail off the weapons. He closed his eyes and heard quiet movements, almost silent, as he heard her dash around the room. A clink of chain to his left made him bring up his kunai as he opened his eyes and saw a scythe with two blades. The weapon in her other hand was a scythe as well. Her eyes held slight amusement as she jumped back and disappeared again.

"When you focus, you are good on stealth, ranged attacks as well as close attacks. That is good, now show me your weapon's abilities," Minato called. There was a cracking of glass before all the crystal exploded before disappearing in a puff of smoke and she stood in a defensive stance. Her left leg was back and bent, while her left hand held a scythe by the chain behind her and spinning it slowly while her right leg was bent just slightly in front of her and she gripped the other scythe by it's handle that was as long as her full arm.

"You will probably want a longer blade, kunai do not have much range for defense or attack," her voice was quiet as her eyes became blank before tossing her left scythe spinning towards him.

He threw his kunai at the blade and knocked it back and it hit the ground before she pulled on the chain and caught it and sent her right scythe at him, blade tip straight at him. He blocked it with another kunai before jumping back and grabbing a katana from one of the ANBU and lunged at her while she pulled back her scythe and she blocked it, her left scythe propped against her forearm to brace herself against the attack. She pushed back before coming at him head on, using both weapons almost equally in movement and strength, also using the chain to block attacks. This went on for several minutes before a clapping made them stop as she blocked another attack. Her head spun to the noise and all crystal around the room disappeared, releasing the three ANBU and her weapons disappeared. The dragon marking on her brow faded away and she stumbled into one of the ANBU before falling to her knees.

"Ryuu...?" Minato dashed to her and helped her stand. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... I think so..." she groaned and rubbed her head.

"Her chakra has been depleted," Bird ANBU spoke as he helped Tiger stand as Cat helped Raven, both shaking violently and covered in a cold sweat. "What did you do to them?"

"What..." she frowned and her eyes dashed around the room. "What happened to them...? What did I do...?"

"Your crystal orbs that you started with," Minato replied. "When they hit the walls, they started to spread and when one of the men moved, it attacked them and encased them completely in crystal. It is a sensitive jutsu."

"They were encased in the crystal...?" She started to panic and looking around frantically as tears fell down her face. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean..."

"What do you mean? What did your jutsu do?" Minato frowned.

"My papa told me that it is a trigger orb... I didn't believe him... It awakens the worse fears in people... with genjutsu..." she covered her face with her hands and started to shake. "I'm sorry..."

"Take them over to Ibiki and have him work with them," Sarutobi ordered. "Minato, lets take her back to the manor."

"Yes sir," Minato nodded and pulled the crying child into his arms and followed the third hokakge out of the training rooms and out into the village.

By the time they reached Sarutobi's manor, Ryuu had fallen asleep from her exertion of chakra and her tears had finally dried. Minato followed Sarutobi into the room that she had been given and laid her on the bed and pulled off her sandals. Then the two adults left the room and sat down in the living room as one of Sarutobi's servants brought in some tea.

"Minato, you have been a great student and have become an amazing shinobi," Sarutobi smiled as he took a sip of his tea.

"Sir?" Minato frowned at the sudden conversation topic.

"I'm old and the councilors are wanting to look for the next Hokage," he sighed and set his tea on the small table besides him before looking at his student seriously. "I wish you to be my successor and the councilors have agreed that your would be the best choice."

"But sir... Kushina... With her being pregnant..."

"I know, but the councilors have given me two weeks to finish my duties then the next Hokage will be announced," Sarutobi sighed. "I will help as much as I am allowed to help you adjust."

"I... I am honored Sarutobi Sensei," Minato bowed his head. "What about the team that you had told me that I would be training?"

"You will still train them, but when it comes time for missions outside the village, an ANBU or myself will go with which genin are chosen for your team."

"Is Ryuu being put on a team as well? She seems well trained already for being younger than those in the academy."

"That is still to be seen, but I would believe so. She is smart and well trained for not knowing how to fully control her abilities. She is still under ANBU surveillance for safety for the village as for herself. We do not know what happened in her village to have her come into our laps, nor do we know if she is what those ninja were after. Her Kekkei Genkai is most definitely not a common one, or heard of other than the history books."

"What clan is she from?"

"I don't know. She hasn't spoken her surname, but then again no one has asked."

"Kurisutaru..." Minato and Sarutobi jumped and turned in their seats to see Ryuu rubbing her eyes as she stood in the doorway. "Kurisutaru is name of my clan and surname. I do not want to be a threat to people, but so many out there fear me because of my clan's Kekkei Genkai. Even my mother and father feared me using my abilites because of other's fear."

"Kurisutaru... The crystal clan of the Water Nation."

"I never heard of them being feared by other's," Minato frowned.

"Depending on the color of the Kekkei Genkai, the user's power varies. Most common color was a white or an ice blue..."

"But if a child's Kekkei Genkai becomes a dark purple, it is said that the child has been possessed by a demon," Ryuu finished quietly. "I've read up on my clan too, well, what others think my clan has become, but they are wrong. I am not some demon possessed shinobi..."

"Come sit with us," Sarutobi smiled and opened his arms to her and she crawled on his seat and curled up inside his arms as he wrapped them around her. "The histories are wrong. There are no demons possessing people. There are only shinobi born or given amazing abilities. Whether those around these shinobi chose to try and understand or fear is their choice."

"Jinchuuriki are the same way," Minato replied calmly. "As my wife grew up, she was a target for being kidnapped and feared because of the bijuu sealed inside of her."

"How has she become untargeted?" Ryuu frowned.

"People in this village have come to accept her and protect her everyday."

"I wish that I can have that one day." Ryuu yawned again and closed her eyes as she laid her head against Sarutobi's arm.

"You will one day young Ryuu," Sarutobi smiled. "I'll make sure of that."

"Thank you papa," she murmured quietly before falling asleep.

"She has adjusted well with you," Minato smirked before getting to his feet. "I better go tell Kushina the news."

"Tell her I say hi," Sarutobi smiled. "I would like to see you first thing in the morning though."

"Yes sir. Take care."

"Night Minato," Sarutobi replied quietly as he pulled Ryuu into his arms and carried her back to her room and laid her on the bed before retiring to his own room for the night.


End file.
